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High flying apprentices visit Parliament

Gavin Williamson, MP for South Staffordshire, met with UK Aerospace Apprentices in Parliament, this week.

On the 2nd April, apprentices from some of Britain’s leading aerospace companies attended a reception in the House of Commons.

The event was organised by ADS Group, the UK aerospace trade association, in recognition of the crucial role apprentices play in the £24bn UK aerospace industry.

It celebrated the valuable contribution of apprentices operating in this important high-end manufacturing sector, and highlighted the world-leading technologies they are working to develop.

The reception was sponsored by UTC Aerospace Systems, which directly employs over 4,000 people in the UK.

Gavin said: “The apprentices I met are great Ambassadors for the vibrant and growing UK aerospace industry that exists in the UK. Engineering apprenticeships are hugely important for the future of the UK’s advanced manufacturing industries and it was good to be able to meet a number of young engineers working towards highly-skilled and rewarding aerospace apprenticeships.”

“The UK aerospace industry is world leading and is making a significant contribution to a sustainable economic recovery. Increasing exports will be critical to the overall wellbeing of the UK economy. Achieving success in a competitive export market depends on the skills and capabilities of the young people working within the sector, ongoing investment in new technology and innovation and a long term industrial strategy to give businesses the confidence to continue investing in the UK.

“This annual gathering is important to showcase the huge talent already working in the aerospace sector, and to encourage more young people to consider the opportunities on offer.”

Friday 18th July, at this year’s Farnborough International Airshow (14th-20th) will feature an entire day dedicated to informing and inspiring people aged between 11 and 21 about potential career opportunities in the aerospace industry. Futures Day is offered at no cost for school and college groups that sign up to attend.

Now entering its fourth cycle, Futures Day promises to be bigger and better than ever before with an exciting programme of hands-on activities, as well as the opportunity to meet experts, apprentices and graduates already working in the sector and see some of the world’s most cutting edge aircraft up close and in the air.